Concord Keystone has squeezed its Easy Shot Clip camcorder down to just 2-inches in length and an inch in width, weighing just 18 grams. Take that, Flip Mino.

As expected, the resolution is only VGA quality at 640 x 480 pixels, but it does shoot sound in 30fps—not too bad, considering. You can record up to 2 hours of video on the 2GB flash memory, charging it via USB with either Windows 7, Vista or XP, or Max OS X 10.4.7 or later.

Out in February for the aforementioned $70, it's a shame it didn't go on sale before Christmas—it would've made a great stocking filler. [Concord Keystone via eCoustics]

The Fleximus, designed to take photos and video, features a bendable body that can be used with a built-in viewfinder or with an attachable 3" display. The camera's simplified controls and flexible body let you shoot at "angles never imaginable before": snaked under a door, curved around a corner, or, as the man below is attempting, sighted directly up your anus.

Sadly, like many of Lebedev's designs, the Fleximus will likely be a bit too cool for any company to put into production. [artlebedev.com]

Check out the video above. It's choc full of whimsy. Of course, I will be dammed if I'm paying $65 for something that only does 320 x 240 resolution at 8fps with no audio. [Exemode via Engadget]

Flip MinoHD

Don't be confused by imposters: the ultracompact Flip camcorder is still the hot girl that everyone either wants to have or wants to be. At $230, the second-generation MinoHD is more expensive than all those Flip clones, but you get what you pay for. It's sleek and stylish—especially when you can design your own—and has decent video quality (for a tiny, trendy camcorder). Most importantly, it's so easy to use that your granny could make herself the next YouTube star. [Review]

Note: Gizmodo actually preferred Flip's Ultra HD, but only because it's substantially cheaper than the MinoHD. More on that in our mini cam Battlemodo.

JVC Everio GZ-HM200

The JVC Everio GZ-HM200 doesn't exactly roll off the tip of your tongue, but for just $580, it might roll its way into your heart. It can't quite compete with the big dogs in our testing labs, but its digital image stabilization is surprisingly effective and the color accuracy left us slack-jawed. The HM200 is also small, easy to use, and has decent options if you want a little control over your video. And we just love having two SDHC memory card slots. [Review]

Canon Vixia HF20

The Canon Vixia HF20 is all about getting the complete package. It lacks the huge lens and high resolution of its big brothers, but it does have the sexy interface and powerful performance we've come to expect from a Canon camcorder. At $800, you're definitely paying for that clear, sharp video and fantastic design. The HF20 is for people that want to save a little cash, but still want to own the cool toys. [Review]

Panasonic HDC-TM300

If you're spending over a grand on a consumer camcorder, it's pretty hard to go wrong. But this year's Panasonics are the crème de la crème. They've got great auto features, are stuffed full of manual controls, and are smoking hot performers in low light. The TM300 (Panasonic's 32GB flash memory model) feels like it was personally sculpted for your hand—and at $1300, it won't break the bank. [Review]

There are obviously a lot of other great camcorders this year—for every budget and level of experience. Read all of CamcorderInfo's picks for the 2009 Select Awards here.

Kaitlyn Chantry is the editor-in-chief of CamcorderInfo.com. She has reported on and reviewed everything from video games to coffee cups. CamcorderInfo has been using scientific lab testing and comparative analysis to provide consumers with comprehensive, unbiased camcorder reviews since 1997.

Weighing only 270g, it's also the lightest. The HDD has 120GB of storage for you to fill up with 1080p videos of your dog, and the sensor is a 1/4.1" 3.32-megapixel CMOS job. 30x optical zoom and 200x digital zoom, you can playback footage on the 2.7-inch LCD screen or upload easily to YouTube thanks to the quick upload function. A microSD/SDHC slot, USB and HDMI ports round the camcorder, which measures 53 x 63 x 115mm, off nicely.

Available in Japan from tomorrow in black, red and silver colorways, we should see more of the GZ-HD620 come January at CES. [Akihabara News]

The GZ-MG980, GZ-MS230 and the GZ-MS210 have been announced for the Japanese market under the Victor JVC branding, with US pricing and availability expected to be confirmed at CES.

With a 10.7-megapixel, 1/6-inch CCD sensor, the video on the GZ-M980 isn't quite full HD at just 720 x 480 resolution, though the 39x (F1.8 - 4.3) optical zoom and 80GB HDD are pretty decent. An SD/SDHC slot rounds it off.

Measuring in with similar specs, the GZ-MS230 misses the generous 80GB capacity of the former model, with just 8GB instead. The GZ-MS210 is the most basic of the three, with no internal memory—just two SD/SDHC slots. Japanese conversions pit these three at $690, $515 and $460 each. [CrunchGear]

The JTT WACAHD8GB is a somewhat ordinary timepiece that, when not telling the time, is shooting 1280x960 video at 30fps, or grabbing stills at 8MP.

Well, technically. This example 8MP photo has been scaled down to once again reminds us that there's a lot more to image quality than resolution:
Still, the most interesting aspect of the watch may not be its spy style or its pseudo-HD quality—the watch uses what looks like a 3.5mm to USB connector for syncing to your PC. Seriously, I'm not sure I've ever seen that before. $150. [JTT via technabob via Le Journal du Geek via Ubergizmo]

Creative also claims that there has been some improvement to the audio recording quality, which was a weak point of the prior generations. Other feature additions include:

* Improved quality of video in low light or brightly lit conditions with manual exposure adjustments
* External stereo microphone support for better audio recording
* Headphone output for private listening
* Motion Detection Mode enables users to program the camera to begin recording as soon as motion is detected
* Out-of-the box Mac and PC compatibility
* Still Photo Capture Mode

The camcorder will be available mid-December for $180 (and in a whopping five colors). Since that gives you plenty of time to shop, check out our pocket camcorder comparison guide before making a buying decision. [Creative via epiZENter via Engadget]

Pocket camcorders (AKA mini cams or budget cams, or sometimes Flip cams after the pioneer of the category) are simple gadgets. They've got one job to do: Shoot watchable video, often for uploading to streaming video sites. They're also very close to the end of their lifespan, with perhaps only a year or so left before smartphones make them obsolete, but right now they're the easiest and cheapest way to take quick and dirty video. I tested seven of these diminutive camcorders, or more accurately six camcorders and one capable PMP, in five categories: Outdoor, indoor, low light, macro, and sound.

The criteria for judging fell mostly to smoothness of video during motion, image sharpness, noise, and color reproduction. Specs like storage capacity, screen size and battery life are mostly the same across the board, although overall, compared to last year, this crop of mini cams are faster and stronger, with beefed up memory and HD sensors. All save the iPod Nano take 720p video (or better) and add HDMI ports and more memory to accommodate the higher-quality footage. Yet I wasn't really all that thrilled with any of the camcorders—the bar for these cams is so low you could trip over it, and several of them actually did. Battery life was disappointing across the board, as none could break two hours of filming. Anyway, on to the results!

Results

Choosing between the Kodak Zi8, Flip Mino HD and Flip Ultra HD is tricky. The Zi8 is unreliable, but when it's good it's unbelievably good; the Mino HD is diminutive, solid and stylish, but overpriced and with lousy touch controls; and the Ultra HD is a reliably good shooter with a low price and the best controls of all, but physically unappealing (read: fat as hell). In my opinion, you should never judge a book by its obese cover, so the champion is...the Flip Ultra HD!

Flip Ultra HD: First Place

Flip's Ultra HD is the best overall choice. It's one of the cheapest cams around (at $150, it's $70 less than it's younger brother, the Mino HD), but it tied for the highest score in our lineup, and it features nice tactile controls that I much prefer to the sleeker Mino HD's touch-sensitive exercise in frustration. Unfortunately, the Dom DeLuise HD is upsettingly fat—about twice as thick as the Mino HD, but even that doesn't really get across how truly large it feels in the hand. It's not particularly heavy, but it is by a long shot the thickest pocket cam here. On the plus side, that girth hides a useful battery—Flip includes a rechargeable pack, but the John Candy HD can also use two AA batteries, which is great since pocket cams have generally abysmal battery life (usually about an hour, though of course they're often rated for double or triple that). Replaceable, cheap batteries are really nice, but some will have to decide whether the William Howard Taft HD's girth is worth that feature. Given its price, I think it is.

Video quality is just fine, above average if not particularly impressive on every test, and it, like the Mino HD, is extremely user-friendly. Although that simplicity yields less flexibility and a barebones feature set compared to the Kodak Zi8, it's a good distillation of the aims of pocket camcorders, and its 100% tactile controls are a welcome change from the Mino HD. If you're not superficial, it's a very smart buy.

Flip Mino HD: Second Place

Flip's Mino HD is the best-looking and best-feeling camcorder I tried. Its aluminum body feels solid and expensive, which might be because it is—at $230, it's the priciest camcorder I tested. But I wouldn't be surprised if it sells the best, even though it's not the greatest deal, because it looks (and is) simple, cute, and functional. I won't rehash my review, except to say that I hate those goddamn touch buttons more and more every time I use the Mino HD. They're incredibly sensitive and I guarantee that you will accidentally trigger the playback function more times than you can count.

Besides that, it's totally serviceable: It did well on all of my tests, it's thoughtfully designed and stupid-easy to use. But it's definitely overpriced, and I have a hard time recommending it over its physically awkward yet substantially cheaper older brother, the Ultra HD, just for its looks.

Kodak Zi8: Third Place

Wider and taller than the Flip Ultra HD, though not nearly as fat, the Zi8 packs a 1080p sensor and the largest and best screen of the bunch. The controls are easy and tactile and aside from flimsy-feeling plastic covers over the ports (one of mine already fell off), the hardware is high-quality. The Zi8 snagged the bronze medal, because while its highs were higher than either of the Flips, its lows were lower—and given how focused and simple this type of gadget is, reliability is worth more than flashing moments of greatness.

The Zi8 absolutely rocked in two of my tests, outdoor and macro, with perfect color reproduction and excellent clarity, and it even takes pretty decent still photos (think point-and-shoot circa 2006 quality). But the conditions need to be just right to get the most out of this guy—I first tried it in 1080p mode (neither of the Flips can break 720p) and while picture quality was amazing, scenes with lots of motion were pretty jerky to the point of being distracting. But even in 720p, it was still head-and-shoulders above the competition—but only in outdoor and macro testing. In the indoor test it proved to have difficulty focusing on objects closer than 10 feet but farther than 2 feet away, and low light shooting was distinctly tinted red and a bit dark. It wasn't unusable in any test (unlike the similarly uneven Creative Vado HD) and at $180 it's fairly priced, so I'd still recommend it—but you and I are likely to be more forgiving of the Zi8's flaws than, say, your mom, who just wants a camera that works pretty well all the time. For her, go for a Flip.

The Rest

The Creative Vado HD scored pretty high, only a point lower than the bronze medalist Kodak Zi8, but while its design is fairly middle-of-the-road (albeit nice and teeny), its abilities were all over the place. It was one of the worst in standard daytime shooting (it has a hard time with sunlight, a serious problem for a pocket cam) and macro, but was the best at indoor, and while its low light video was a little dark, it was the clearest and smoothest of the lot. It also, likely due to Creative's background in stellar-sounding PMPs and sound cards, boasts excellent sound quality. At $150, it's very fairly priced, but I can't recommend a camcorder that mangles sunlight the way the Vado does.

Apple's iPod Nano is the only "camcorder" in this roundup to peak at VGA resolution, and aside from a surprisingly strong macro performance, it shows. It turned vibrant colors dull and lifeless, washed out detail and made everything seem darker than it was. It can't compete with the Zi8s and Flips of the world, but it's still usable and incredibly priced at $150/$180 for 8GB/16GB—if you've got a Nano already, you probably won't need a dedicated cam. Convergence killed the video star, I guess.

The JVC Picsio GC-FM1 sucked. It's spectacularly ugly (think Ed Hardy-inspired) and cheap-feeling, with a confusing button layout (unforgivable in a pocket cam) and a high price ($200, or $178 at Amazon). Besides all that, it scored poorly in every one of our tests. Avoid.

And finally, the worst—Aiptek's PenCam HD. I wanted to like it, I really did—it's got a tongue-depressor-like design and came with a sweet tripod that attaches to a bicycle's handlebars—but it bombed in almost every one of my tests. The 1.1-inch screen is nearly unusable and battery life barely topped 40 minutes, so it's definitely the loser here.

Here's a giant gallery of all 28 videos I took.

Don Nguyen assisted with this Battlemodo.

The Vivitar DVR 150 has a 1.8-inch LCD screen, 2GB of built-in memory expandable using Secure Digital cards, USB male prong built-in, TV out, webcam mode, and comes in four different colors for $50. [Vivitar via ChipChick]

The original Mino HD was one of the simplest, easiest-to-use pocket cams out there. Its video quality was nothing to write home about (and paled in comparison to, say, the Kodak Zi8), but it sold boatloads based on its good looks and respectable performance. So what does the new Mino HD bring to the table?

What's New

The new Mino HD definitely feels better in the hand than its predecessor. It's only marginally smaller (about 1.5 millimeters thinner, same width and height) but the upgrade to aluminum from glossy plastic makes it feel much more solid and expensive. The other improvements are welcome as well—the new screen is both larger (2 inches compared to 1.5) and significantly sharper, and it's now packing 8GB of internal memory, twice that of the first Mino HD. That 8GB of memory allows for about two hours of 720p recording. Also new is an HDMI-out jack for sharing videos on HD screens, and it also boasts a faster processor (I didn't see a difference in performance, but Flip says battery life is improved).

What's Unchanged, but Shouldn't Be

As it's packing the same sensor as the first Mino HD, this new version shares the same strengths and suffers from the same flaws: Good in solid lighting and close-ups, but noisy in low-light and choppy while panning. It still can't take stills, there's no optical zoom, and there's no image stabilizer. Also unchanged are those damn touch-sensitive buttons. I accidentally hit the "Play" touch-button several times because you don't have to depress an actual, tactile button to make commands, which is super annoying. Tactile buttons would be a lot more accurate and result in less accidental presses.

As always, we should mention that the days of dedicated pocket cams like the Mino HD are numbered. They're surrounded on all sides, with the iPod Nano hitting them from the low-end and smartphones hitting them from the high. Since convergence is already killing PMPs, we don't see this kind of gadget lasting all that much longer. That being said...

The Flip Mino HD is a solid choice for a pocket cam, since it's sort of the distillation of what the pocket cam category aims for: It's dead simple, to a fault sometimes, takes decent but not amazing video, and is sleek and pocketable. We'd really have liked to see some improvements to the Mino HD's sensor (as well as the merciless execution of those touch-buttons), but overall it's still a pretty decent cam. This new version sells for $230, while the older 4GB model drops to $200—and we'd say the improvements are worth the extra $30 if you're torn between the two. The Flip Mino HD is available now.

Solid-feeling aluminum case

Doubled memory, bigger and better screen, and HDMI-out are welcome additions

Dead simple UI, but it lacks more advanced features

Video quality is okay, but unchanged from last-gen

Touch-sensitive buttons seem designed purely to infuriate

• Zoom's Q3 Handy Video Recorder, a pocket camcorder with an emphasis on high quality audio, is now shipping. Back in September, our own Dan Nosowitz reviewed the Q3 and found that the device's audio capabilities were indeed impressive, though he was disappointed by its paltry 640 x 480 resolution video. Still, if you're interested in an inexpensive camcorder that offers quality sound recording, this is one to check out. The Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder takes SDHC cards and runs on 2 AA batteries. It can be ordered for $249 on Amazon and elsewhere. [Engadget]

It's been upgraded to 8GB of memory, up from 4GB, which gives it about two hours of 720p video recording. The aluminum shell feels great: Much more solid and smaller in the hand than the previous plastic version. The screen is also significantly bigger, feeling much less puny at 2-inches. The Flip software has also seen an update, with some nice minor editing and trimming features, and features automatic uploading to Facebook, Myspace and Youtube.

I haven't gotten the chance to play around with it too much, but video quality seems okay—about the same as past MinoHDs, and not as good as the Kodak zi8. The new MinoHD will sell for $230, while the original MinoHD will remain at $199 for 4GB. [Flip]

Flip MinoHD, 2nd Generation Camcorder Features:

* SRP: $229.99
* Now Available at leading retailers and online retailers
* Colors: Brushed Metal or personalized at theflip.com
* Video Resolution: High Definition, 1280 x 720
* Records: 2 hours (8 GB built-in memory)
* Screen: 2 inch – transflective (anti-glare); 960 x 240 pixels
* Audio: Built-in wide-range, omni-directional microphone; built-in speaker with software volume control
* Battery: Built-in rechargeable (Lithium Ion); up to 2 hours use
* TV Output: Widescreen with HDMITM output
* Zoom: 2 x Digital

Spec for spec, the Picsio is a near-match for the Kodak Zi8—currently the best pocket camcorder on the market, to my mind. That means multiple video modes, from 30fps 1080p (UPDATE: Though it appears the actual resolution is 1440 x 1080, not the normal 1920 x 1080. More on that—which isn't actually a huge deal—here.) to 60fps 720p to regular old VGA, 8-megapixel still shooting, a mechanical macro mode switch, image stabilization, HDMI out and SD storage.

What it doesn't have in microphone inputs (the Zi8 had a line-in jack) it more than makes up for in MicroUSB charging (the Zi8 had a USB to DC charger). Price is also comparable, listing at $200 but shipping from Amazon for $180. Here it pictured next to a Zi6, which is roughly the same size as the Zi8. As you can see, JVC's camcorder is small—it's sized like some of the daintier Flip cams, but with much more impressive guts.

The most striking thing, though probably one of the least important, is the glittery, faceted backplate. You, the camera operator, won't notice it. Your subject, however, may think you're some kind of foppish dandy, or whatnot.

The Picsio is available now for $200. in Black, Blue, and Purple. A full Battlemodo, Picsio included, is forthcoming, but for now, here's a gallery. [JVC]

New JVC Pocket Camera Shoots HD Video & 8 Megapixel Stills

JVC enters pocket cam market with stylish, high-performance PICSIO.

WAYNE, NJ, October 13, 2009 – JVC today announced the launch of its first pocket flash memory camera, the new PICSIO GC-FM1. PICSIO is designed for those who want a small, simple, camera that allows easy sharing and delivers high quality video and still images.

PICSIO shoots true eight-megapixel stills and 1080p Full HD video for outstanding results even when viewed on an HDTV. Further enhancing the quality of PICSIO's video is image stabilization that minimizes camera shake, even when the 4X digital zoom is used. The camera is about the size of a small cell phone, and is available in three colors – Black Ice, Blue Steel and Purple Passion. It boasts a stylish design with a case that features a tone-on-tone geometric pattern and chrome accents for a jewel-like appearance.

PICSIO's high quality images result from the use of an eight-megapixel CMOS image sensor that captures JPEG stills with up to eight-megapixel native resolution – there's no image-degrading interpolation, so PICSIO images are sharp and vibrant, whether viewed on a screen or printed. In video mode, PICSIO records 1080p Full HD video that's easily enjoyed on an HDTV by using the camera's HDMI connection. Videos are recorded in the widely-used MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 format and stored as .MOV files for easy sharing without the need for time-consuming and potentially damaging conversion. Storage is on readily-available SD/SDHC memory cards.

This camcorder is responding to the manipulations of a simple volume meter along with some other transistors and such. But the cool part is that while the bending process technically crashes the camera, the video output continues. And if there's a battery gauge or timestamp on the feed, that gets all crazy, too.

But until we see fully circuit-bent iPod nano cyborg vision, I'd hate to see us this or any of us rest on Man's current accomplishments. [Vu Cam via MAKE]

Those are mild upgrades, I'll give you that. At first glance, the camera sounds suspiciously like the Everio X, but I decided to post anyhow. The camera has 32GB of internal memory and an SD/SDHC slot. Slow motion is possible at 600fps, albeit at a ridiculous resolution of 640x72 (yes, seventy two) pixels. It shoots at 300fps at a slightly less filmstrip-like res but the 120fps mode at 480x270 pixels is anywhere close to acceptable.

The HM400 also has 9 and 5.3MP still modes without interpolation, and captures its 1080p video at the AVCHD format's maximum bitrate of 24mbps. Glass has been upgraded here to use two prisms for optical stabilization. And the camera has new manual controls that put the camera into aperture and shutter priority modes. It goes for $1000 to a buyer who hasn't been seduced by a Flip HD and still needs real zoom and picture quality. [JVC]

The hardware itself doesn't seem much changed; the Vado HD will still be available in a $200 8GB version and will be joined by a new 4GB version priced at $180. There'll also be two new colors, but the big news is really the software. The two new Vado HDs are available for pre-order today from Creative (though they don't seem to be up on the site quite yet), and the software should be released early this month. [Creative]

I say "looks", because it's hard to 100% confirm from the Google-translated Japanese. The spec listing certainly says "Eye-Fi forwarding, access point management" are there, but the fine print reads "Eye-Fi card will be sold separately." It might also just mean you don't have to tinker around with settings to set up Eye-Fi SD card transfers. Confusing.

I'd like to see it, though. Not having to use a special Eye-Fi (Wi-Fi enabled) SD card would be fantastic, so this is definitely a model we'll be watching. And Sanyo's Xacti line up is so big that many models make their way States-side.

Other key features include a mini-HDMI connection, 5x optical zoom, and SDHC support. The latter is essential considering the paltry 40MB built-in memory. The GC11 can also shoot stills up to a resolution of 4000 by 3000, and its battery should provide about 180 shots, or 70 minutes of shooting.

It hits stores in Japan for about $316 in September. [Sanyo Japan via Impress (both translated)]

That man is filmmaker Ed Wardle. He's been followed by National Geographic for about three months and all that equipment in the image is what's been documenting the whole thing. The documentary is called Alone in the Wild, and it's kind of like Man Vs. Wild except, you know, without the script.

There's also a Twitter feed, which produced gems like this one: "PORCUPINE LIKE A FATTY FOREST RAT. IF I HAD A CHOICE WHATS BETR 4 ME HERE, FAT OR MEAT?" Apparently being in the wild requires caps lock to be on at all times, lest the bears no longer fear you and attack. [National Geographic via Dark Roasted Blend]

Granted, you will need Batman's utility belt full of extra batteries, but it's completely worth it. The $1,400 camera uses a 8.59 Full HD CMOS image sensor, coupled with Canon's Digic DV III image processor, which means that apart from the 24p cinema mode and 30p progressive mode in Full HD, you will get 8.0 megapixel photos. It also has manual gain control limits and manual focus.

The camera comes with other new features, like a new stabilizer technology—called Dynamic SuperRange OIS system—that works while you zoom in and out, and a new Advanced Video Snapshot Mode, which records "a series of four second clips when in shooting mode." I don't know exactly how that will work, but I'm sure family and friends will be glad they won't have to endure 24 continuous hours of panning through mountainous landscapes and European ruins.

The price: $180

The verdict: Kodak's first foray into pocket camcorders set them ahead of the pack, at least for a while—a trick they've pulled off again with the Zi8. They've stolen back the top spot not with video quality—though it is impressive—but with a few obvious features that, until now, hadn't trickled down to this price point.

Click for gallery

First though, the core improvements: This Zi's undergone a full hardware redesign which, once you peel the ugly, feature-touting sticker off the front, feels more modern, more solid, and more, well, designed than its lumpy predecessor. The screen is way, way sharper, which makes the whole camera, despite its similar interface and button layout, truly feel like a new piece of hardware. HDMI output works instantly and smoothly, and the microphone-in jack pulls concerts and noisy environments into the Things The Zi8 Can Do list. The hard, flip-out USB plug has been replaced with a rubberized flexible one, which makes life easier for situations where you don't have much clearance on a USB port. Oh, and the battery—a Li-Ion slab replaces the old model's rechargeable AAs.

The Zi8's ballyhooed feature is its 30fps 1080p video recording, which, along with a new 5-megapixel photo option, joins the 720p (30fps and 60fps) and WVGA video modes of the Zi6. The added resolution is technically impressive, sure, but it's also sort of excessive, and mostly unnoticeable. People have a hard enough time distinguishing between 1080p and 720p video when it's professionally produced and displayed on a high-end screen; the Zi8 is still very much a pocket camera, meaning that the video isn't quite crisp or vivid enough to gain much from the added pixels. Cameras like this are meant for uploading quality-sapping video sites—something the Windows-only software makes dead-simple—not Blu-ray discs.

That's not to say the raw video quality is bad—far from it. It's noticeably better than the Zi6, and a new, larger sensor boosts quality at all resolutions, especially in low light. Again, this is still a pocket camcorder, so expect some noise in dimmer situations. That said, the noise is subtle and tolerable, and a far sight less crappy than most of its direct competitors.

The reason the Zi8's video really stands out is image stabilization. This is a much bigger deal than it might sound, because it accomplishes something that might not be immediately obvious: it cuts down on shimmering—that queasy rippling effect you get whenever you move a cheap camcorder too quickly. It's still there, but with less microtwitches and jitters, it's way less apparent. In addition, the Zi6's macro mode makes a reappearance on the Zi8, but it' a lot more usable, since its field of focus has grown since the Zi6, which only gave you an inch or so of leeway before things got fuzzy. On top of it all, the Zi8's lens is wider. Some people might miss the extra optical zoom a little bit, but I found the wider angle much easier to film with.

The photo mode is acceptable, but not at the level of even a entry-level point-and-shoot, and prone to blurry shots, since the record button is a little stiff, and you're usually not holding the camera in an especially stable way. But in fitting with the ethos of this whole genre of device, it'll usually do just fine.

The takeaway here is that the Zi8, though still firmly a budget camcorder in terms of both price and image quality, is a device you'll be comfortable relying on in more situations than the old model, or for that matter, any other pocket cam on the market today. You'll worry less about how well-lit your subjects are; about just how macro you want to go; about keeping your hand steady enough to make your footage not look like frantic cellphone clip from a disaster scene; about how loud your surroundings will be. It's not going to replace a real camcorder in all situations, nor is meant to—but for a lot of people, it'll be more than good enough. At $180, that's nothing to smirk at. [Kodak]

Sharp, clean video in bright lighting, respectable video in low light

Antishake

Slimmer profile

More versatile USB Plug

Li-Ion Battery

More plugs!

No internal storage

Software is convenient, but not that powerful

The list of improvements continues: The Zi8 has an external mic jack, and it'll shoot 5-megapixel stills, track faces of subjects and, according to Kodak, "see more details and accurate colors in low light." Now that's something we're looking forward to, especially since low light seems to be the biggest bane of these Flip-class cameras.

The Flip UltraHD, which sells for the same amount, only shoots 720p, has no removable storage, and only earned qualified praise from us.

By contrast, one big reason to have high hopes for the Zi8 is that we already loved its predecessor, the Zi6, though we weren't terribly impressed with its cheaper weatherproof sibling, the Zx1. [Kodak]

Press Release:

KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera brings sleek style and high-performance to pocket video

Easily shoot and share high-quality 1080p HD video

Rochester, NY, July 29, 2009 - Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) today announced an exciting new addition to its popular line of Digital Video Cameras – the KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera, featuring a sleek design, high-quality full 1080p High Definition video capture, and built-in electronic image stabilization.

"Images and video have tremendous power to help us stay connected to family and friends," says Phil Scott, Worldwide Director of Marketing, Digital Capture and Devices and Vice President, Consumer Digital Group. "The KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera makes it easy to spontaneously capture HD video – of heartwarming moments, of ‘can you believe that?' moments, and of just plain laugh-out-loud moments – and then quickly and easily share them."

The slim and stylish KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera is designed to meet these needs at the touch of a button — no lens cap, dials to turn or settings to adjust. The new camera's range of advanced features includes:
• Full HD 1080p video capture wherever you go;
• Built-in electronic image stabilization for sharper videos and reduced blurring;
• Vivid 2.5" color LCD;
• Flexible swing-out USB arm for fast uploading, sharing, and charging;
• 5 MP 16:9 widescreen HD still pictures;
• Easy upload to Facebook and YouTube;
• Compatible with PC and Mac operating systems;
• Record up to 10 hours of HD video* with the expandable SD/SDHC card slot that can hold up to 32 GB;
• Capture family and friends in their best light with smart face tracking technology;
• See more details and accurate colors in low light;
• External microphone jack;
• In-box HDMI cable;
• Record from a distance or playback on your TV conveniently with optional KODAK Pocket Video remote control;
• Grab attention and define your style with the ultra compact design, stunning looks, and a range of colors.

Uploading to Facebook and YouTube
The KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera provides one-button upload to Facebook, the premiere social networking and sharing website. Content can also be quickly and easily uploaded to YouTube, the world's most popular online video community. The built-in software on the camera allows seamless upload of your video and pictures from the same desktop interface used for video editing and movie creation.

Accessories
A range of accessories are available for the KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera, including:
• KODAK SDHC Memory Cards, available in 4, 8, and 16GB capacities customized for optimal video capture;
• KODAK Pocket Video Remote control;
• KODAK KLIC-7004 Lithium Ion batteries;
• KODAK Flexi-tripod;
• KODAK Adventure Mount for helmet, handlebars and more;
• KODAK cases, camera bags and neck straps.

Pricing and Availability
The KODAK Zi8 Pocket Video Camera will be available in aqua, raspberry and black** from September, 2009, and retail for US$179.95 MSRP.

*Record approximately 20 minutes per 1GB at HD 30fps.
** Color availability may vary.

To be sure, the Zoom Q3 looks like it neglects video quality in favor of audio: Its paltry 640x480 resolution is sure to look outdated next to the true 720p offered by the Flip UltraHD and others. But the Q3 is all about audio, and we're pretty impressed with what Zoom packed into it. You can see in the picture above that it's got two mics to give true stereo sound, and they can be aimed both manually and with the camcorder's automatic presets. It looks pretty easy to get correct levels as well, with several modes to help get the best possible sound. As for audio formats, it'll do 44.1/48kHz 16/24-bit Linear PCM WAV or MP3 up to 320kbps, which is slightly limited but should do fine.

At the basic hardware level, it's got a 2.4-inch LCD, takes SDHC cards for memory (a 2GB card is included, but you'll want to upgrade that pronto) and runs on 2 AA batteries. It'll cost $250 when it ships in September, which is a little pricey; the Flip UltraHD costs $180 at Amazon. We're not totally sold on the entire package, either: If the Q3 packed HD video as well as this level of audio, we'd be really excited, but we think video is probably more important for most pocket camcorder users than audio. Still, it's definitely a unique product and hopefully we'll see the product line develop more. [Zoom]

This contraption is actually a gimbal mount, using a skate bearing, three sections of PVC piping, some wood and some nuts and bolts. Compared to a real Steadicam, which can set you back $25,000 and up, this is a pretty great setup. Just look at the video he shot with it below!

[YB2Normal via BBG via Gadget Lab]

It's a form-factor that doesn't leave much room for creativity, but Samsung's managed to put together a distinctive product with the HMX-U10. The slightly swept design allows for more comfortable gripping than the flat bricks we've all grown accustomed to, and the compact profile—56mm x 103mm x 15.5mm—belies its solid specs, and most notably its ability to record 1080p H.264 video, as opposed to the industry standard 720p. Otherwise, we're in familiar territory here: there's a one-touch YouTube upload button, fixed-focus lens, expandable SD storage and a two-inch LED screen.

Also, with the emphasis on still shooting, I'm noticing a conceptual problem: point-and-shoot cameras have been getting more and more video savvy in the last few years, and now, mini-camcorders are aspiring to be pocket cameras. They're roughly the same size, and assuming a tag of around $200—suspected, but not certain—for the HMX-U10, fall into the same price range. The future won't be pretty for one category or the other, and that's not even considering the increasingly capable imaging capabilities of modern smartphones. Exactly what will kill what (and what we'll be left with) is still up in the air, but you can rest assured the slaughter will be well-recorded. [InfoSyncWorld, Crave]

You may also be interested to know that a digital camera with video took 39% of the vote in the poll, making it the gadget of choice when it comes to making homemade porn. That's really not surprising, but 54%? Seriously? Haven't you guys seen enough amateur porn on the internet to realize this stuff often becomes public? Maybe that's not a concern for you, but I feel compelled to ask the following question to the individuals that voted "yes": do you delete these videos/images, or do you archive them?

[Image via Cafepress]

The HDR-CX520V comes with 64GB of internal flash memory, while the HDR-CX500V comes with 32GB. The big feature Sony is touting is Face Touch, which lets you select a face on the touchscreen viewfinder and have the camera automatically focus on that person no matter where they are in the frame. It also has advance image stabilization tech on board. Also, GPS features let you geotag your videos, so you can figure out exactly where you were when you got video of the chupacabra. Also special to the cams is their low light boost, which uses a backlight CMOS sensor for double the light sensitivity.

They're both dropping in September for $1,100 and $1,300.

SONY UNVEILS NEW FLASH MEMORY CAMCORDERS

with ADvanced optics, new TECHNOLOGY

SAN DIEGO, July 7, 2009 – Sony today announced its new HDR-CX520V and HDR-CX500V Handycam® camcorders, which capture full1920x1080 high-definition video and up to 12-megapixel photos on a 64GB or 32GB internal flash memory, respectively, offering up to 25 hours of HD video (LP mode).

"These models combine the best in digital imaging technology, strengthening Sony's industry leadership and meeting demand for both quality camcorders and HD video," said Kelly Davis, director of the camcorder business for Sony Electronics. "Expanding our lineup to include Handycam camcorders with large capacity embedded flash memory allows us to offer consumers flexible recording solutions concentrated in a very portable, compact body."

Advanced Features and Performance

For optimal playback, the HDR-CX520V and HDR-CX500V camcorders feature 60p output, which automatically converts content to 60 progressive frames per second when connected to a compatible high-definition television.

Another notable feature, Optical SteadyShot™ with Active Mode (which allows a moveable lens element to shift with greater range of motion during camera shake) now offers 3-Way Shake Canceling. This feature reduces hand shake in three directions – vertical and horizontal shake corrected by optical image stabilization and the third, by way of electronic image stabilization, facilitates correction for lateral-roll shake. By employing a wider camera shake correction angle and improved compensation algorithms, blur caused by rolling wrist movements is reduced so users can shoot smoother movie footage on the move.

Prime Functionality

Sony's powerful BIONZ™ imaging processor is adding a Face Touch function. With Face Touch, users can select a person to be prioritized by the camcorder simply by touching a detected face on the screen. The camcorders prioritize and optimize focus, skin color, and brightness for the selected individual, even if they leave the scene, for the entire recording session. This new feature is a function of Face Detection, which also incorporates Smile Shutter™ technology to capture candid smiling photos while simultaneously recording video. When Face Touch is activated, the Smile Shutter feature only activates automatically in response to the smiles of the selected person.

These models also have a back-illuminated "Exmor R" CMOS sensor to provide stunning low light performance with approximately twice the sensitivity compared to Sony's existing front-illuminated CMOS sensor at F2.0. The sophisticated G lens fuses advanced optics and low dispersion aspheric glass elements for accurate color reproduction and sharp, detailed images. A six-blade aperture produces circular "bokeh" defocus effects for creative shooting possibilities.

To effortlessly track your destinations on a map, the camcorder's built-in GPS antenna and NAVTEQ® digital maps geo-tag your videos and photos. Geo-tagged content is marked by a virtual push pin at each shot location and can be played back on the camcorder map index display on the three-inch (measured diagonally) wide touch panel LCD.

Introducing new technology to down-convert from AVCHD™ to MPEG2, Sony eliminates the need for a PC and allows for simple DVD creation with the optional DVDirect Express (VRD-P1) DVD writer.

When the camcorders are connected to the DVDirect Express (sold separately for around $150) via a USB cable, they will instantly burn HD video footage onto a DVD. The camcorder can even down-convert content and burn DVDs in standard-definition picture quality, providing familyographers a way to "future proof" their memories. The down conversion feature allows owners of standard-definition players to capture video in the highest quality and have the option of playing in standard-definition now or saving HD content for when they upgrade to a Blu-ray disk player at a later time.

Other powerful features include a built-in zoom microphone with Dolby® Digital 5.1-channel surround sound and an instant power-on feature when the LCD is opened that lets you capture the moment without delay. The camcorders' advanced user interface features a new operation bar, which allows scroll searching for all menu items, and a customizable shortcut menu. Improving upon the Highlight Playback feature that personalizes video footage by generating a video slideshow with theme transitions and background music, Sony introduces Highlight Scenario, which saves up to eight highlight scenes for viewing again later. These models also include Picture Motion Browser software to easily view, edit, organize and upload images to many major video and photo sharing Web sites. Mac users can transfer AVCHD recorded data and edit video clips in HD image quality using iMovie software.

In addition to built-in flash memory, the models can record content to optional Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™ HX media (currently sold separately in capacities up to 16GB, a 32GB card will be available in September). Using Sony's PRO-HG Duo HX format, consumers can transfer nearly two hours of full high-definition video to a PC in approximately 13 minutes (using supplied adapter).

Price and Availability

The HDR-CX500V and HDR-CX520V will be available in September for about $1,100 and $1,300 respectively. They will be available at Sony Style® retail stores, online through www.sonystyle.com and at authorized dealers nationwide.

Featuring a fully articulating head, the Zgrip has mounts for an optional LED fill light and higher quality stereo audio recorder. Even with these options, however, it's far too expensive given that there's no true image stabilization going on beyond an easier way to hold the iPhone. If this were a handheld steadicam (allowing you to recreate the Star Wars speeder bike chase), it might be tempting at $300. But as of right now it's really just a very, very nice holder.

In the future, Zacuto will be releasing a non-pro version of the Zgrip that's promised to cost far less money. Good call, Zacuto. [Zacuto]

A Sony F900 catches his attention first, before a crew member brings by what I'm pretty sure is a Sony HVR-Z1U. Jackson ogles the camera for a moment, asks its price, then walks away. But then he can't help himself, and needs to check it out again and make a comment to his handler. He also scores some street cred by referencing the competing Panasonic of the time, what I'm pretty sure was the HVX-200.

It shouldn't be surprising that Jackson was in to gadgets, but when your only real exposure to someone is the weirdest and most controversial of who they are, a little geekdom sure makes a strong case for inner humanity. [Access Hollywood]

Dubbed Magic Lantern, the new firmware improves audio recording by adding onscreen level meters, disabling automatic gain control, and adding manual gain control—combined improvements that make for the excellent audio you hear in this clip.

On the video end, the firmware enables zebra stripes (they mark the portions of your image that are overexposed) and the various crop marks for 16:9, 2.35:1 and 4:3—the most common aspect ratios that you'll want to shoot.

It's beta firmware, so there is a level of risk to installing it on your fancy camera. But these are the kinds of steps that the market will need to take if shooting HD video on dSLR is to become more than a novelty, and it's good to have someone cracking the whip. [Magic Lantern via boingboing]

The Muvi Micro DV Cam measures just 2x0.8x0.4 inches but still manages to record 640x480 video at 30fps for 2-3 hours per charge. All of the footage is saved to your own MicroSD card and can be transferred while the camera recharges over USB.

Beyond basic recording, the camera can also be cued to record at a threshold of 65 decibels of noise. And with the disclosure of that spec, several thousand Giz readers immediately Googled "decibels lady changing." $129. [i want one of those via geekalerts]

It's a smart strategy, since consumer-grade 1080p camcorders, like point-and-shoot cameras, are hugely common and rarely differentiated by more than a few minor features. The three factors that really stand out to people are looks, weight and price—two of which Panasonic has taken great pains to emphasize here, even slapping a dubious and qualified "world's lightest" claim onto their marketing materials.

The SD10 and TM10 are set apart by storage options, with the TM10 carrying 8GB of internal storage alongside its SDHC slot—the only storage facility on the SD10. Otherwise, they're both more or less identical: 1080p AVCHD video recording; 2.1MP still shooting;an inbuilt Optical Image Stabilizer; a touchscreen fold-out LCD; a three second pre-record funciton; and a 1.9-second claimed startup time. And of course, on the all-important matter of price, the cameras ring up at a respectable $550 for the SD10, and $600 for the TM10, available from September. The full press release:

PANASONIC INTRODUCES THE WORLD'S LIGHTEST*
HIGH DEFINITION CAMCORDERS

New HD Camcorders Weigh 0.5 LB, Packed with Easy-to-Use, Advanced Features

Secaucus, NJ (June 8, 2009) – Panasonic today announced the release of two of the world's lightest*, High Definition (HD) camcorders – the HDC-SD10, which uses an SDHC/SD Memory Card as recording media, and the Twin Memory Type HDC-TM10, which records onto both an 8GB** Built-in Memory and an SDHC/SD Memory Card. Each model weighs just 0.5 LB, yet its compact body design has a high-powered 16x optical zoom capabilities and advanced features to produce beautiful 1920 x 1080 Full-HD videos.

The 16x optical zoom of the HDC-SD10 and HDC-TM10 is supported by the Advanced O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) function – an essential element to achieve clear zooming, as it minimizes the hand-shake that often impairs video quality while zooming. Panasonic's Advanced OIS detects and corrects for hand-shake around 4,000 times per second and works with the high-powered optical zoom to produce clear, stable zoom shots. The new Active mode also extends the hand-shake correction range to allow the shooting of clear, crisp images while walking or moving.

"We recognize that users are looking for camcorders that capture high-quality, High Definition video, but they also want something lightweight that has advanced, yet easy-to-use functions," said Chuck Kirkman, Senior Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. "With the SD10 and TM10, we've made it easier to record HD video with features such as Advanced O.I.S., Face Detection, Intelligent Scene Selector and the Pre-Rec function, all which maximize shooting results and minimize common issues like blurring."

As with most Panasonic camcorders, the HDC-SD10 and HDC-TM10 both feature the iA (Intelligent Auto)*** function, which automatically sets the most suitable Scene mode according to shooting conditions. These include Advanced O.I.S., Face Detection, which adjusts the exposure so faces are captured perfectly; Intelligent Contrast Control, which helps ensure proper contrast; and Intelligent Scene Selector, which determines the shooting conditions and automatically selects the Scene setting that will provide optimal results. Both camcorders are also equipped with AF/AE Tracking (Auto Focus/Auto Exposure Tracking), which automatically tracks a moving subject for consistently beautiful images. This feature maintains the focus and exposure even if the subject moves or turns to one side.

Other features of the HDC-SD10 and HDC-TM10 include:
SDHC/SD Memory Card Recording – The SDHC/SD Memory Card not only brings significant advantages to smaller and lighter camcorders, but it also differs from a hard-disk drive in that it has no transport mechanism, making it highly shock-resistant and enabling faster recording starts.
Twin Memory Recording – Relay Recording (HDC-TM10 Only) – The HDC-TM10 records Full-HD images onto the built-in memory or an SDHC/SD Memory Card (optional), and features a Relay Recording function. When the built-in memory is full, this function automatically switches the recording media to the SDHC/SD Memory Card to provide uninterrupted recording. Video data that is recorded using both media types can be merged inside the camcorder and saved to an SDHC/SD Memory Card.****
Touch Screen and Handy Function Buttons – Both models feature a touch screen that lets users operate a variety of functions by simply touching an icon displayed on the LCD. This allows intuitive operation without having to look away from the subject.
1.9-sec Quick Power-On – The power turns on and off by opening and closing the LCD. This start-up allows users to save battery power by keeping the power turned off when the camcorder is not in use, while making sure that unexpected shooting opportunities are not lost. The power-saving Eco mode***** automatically turns the power off when the camcorder is not in use for five minutes.
Pre-Rec – To avoid missing critical shooting opportunities, when the Pre-Rec function is on, the camcorder continuously records three seconds of images into an internal buffer memory. When the Record button is actually pressed, the three seconds immediately prior are added to the beginning of the clip.
Auto Power LCD – This feature automatically adjusts the brightness of the LCD screen according to the shooting conditions.
Built-in Video Light and Flash – Both the HDC-SD10 and HDC-TM10 are equipped with a video light and flash for convenience when shooting in dimly lit places.
Highlight Playback – This function is for users who want to view recorded images quickly, as "highlights" can be created and played back according to a set time interval.
One-Touch Copy of Videos to DVD and Easy Playback with the BN1 DVD Burner – To avoid the two-step process previously required to save Full-HD videos from an SDHC/SD Memory Card or built-in memory onto a DVD for playback, the HDC-SD10 and HDC-TM10 feature a one-touch function that makes this process easier.

The HDC-SD10 and HDC-TM10 are both compatible with Panasonic's VIERA Link to allow quick and easy viewing of Full-HD video content, as well as with the VIERA Image Viewer function on a VIERA HDTV. This allows users to play videos on a large screen by simply inserting a recorded SDHC/SD Memory Card into the SD Card slot of a Panasonic VIERA HDTV******. It provides instant playback of video clips recorded in the AVCHD format in Full-HD quality. Similarly, video recordings can be easily played by using a Panasonic Blu-ray Disc™ player.

The suggested retail prices of the HDC-SD10 and HDC-TM10 are $549.95 and $599.95 respectively. The TM10 will be available in black and silver models, while the SD10 in black only. All models will be available in September 2009.

* For AVCHD format Full-HD camcorders, as of June 8, 2009.
**1GB=1,073,741,824 bytes. Usable capacity will be less
*** The functions included in iA may not be applied when conditions do not call for them.
**** The SDHC/SD Memory Card must have memory space available that is larger than the data in the built-in memory to be merged.
***** Set to ON when shipped from the factory.
****** P54Z1, P65V10/P58V10/P54V10/P50V10, P50G15/P46G15/P42G15/P54G10/P50G10/P46G10/P42G10